Press, VIPs, Tourists, Dependents

Elaborate plans for the reception of guests paid off both at the launch of
Apollo 4 and at the 13 subsequent Apollo launches. Five days before the launch,
the Office of Public Affairs had opened a news center on the 10th floor of the
Cape Royal Building in Cocoa Beach. The news center issued badges to
representatives of industry and the news media, including TV technicians, for
access to the space center. Bus tours of the entire center were conducted twice
daily for reporters and photographers. Starting twelve hours before launch time,
three NASA buses operated a shuttle service every half hour between the Cape
Royal and the LC-39 press site. The last bus departed one hour before launch
time, but by then most media personnel were in their seats on a "first-come,
first-served" basis. Southern Bell installed 360 telephones at the press site,
with the news organizations paying individually for service. A mobile food
service unit supplied hot snacks.35

The news center held status briefings on the mission twice daily preceding
the launch. The day before the launch, there were two press briefings at launch
complex 39, followed by a tour of pad A. The afternoon mission briefing took
place at the news center itself. John W. King, chief of the Public Information
Branch, provided countdown commentary, starting five hours before liftoff.
Loudspeakers carried this commentary to the press site at LC-39, the VIP site on
the opposite side of the vehicle assembly building, the visitors information
center, the KSC news center, all cafeterias throughout KSC, and the main
buildings in the industrial area. The Manned Space Center in Houston took over
the commentary after liftoff.

The Cape Royal auditorium was available to contractors for presentations at
times not in conflict with NASA requirements. Contractors' representatives could
schedule such events in advance with the approval of the KSC news center
manager. The contractors also had space for displays and a liaison desk for
their public relations representatives.

At least equally important, but more complicated than preparations for
representatives of the media and the contractors, was the task of caring for the
dignitaries who would descend on the area as long as viewing an Apollo launch
would be a socially and politically prestigious event. NASA Headquarters had its
own list of invitees, as did the three centers (Kennedy, Marshall, and Houston).
Naturally many names were duplicated on the lists. The centers settled the
overlapping among themselves, and each center director invited his guests
personally. The distinguished visitors viewed the launch from uncovered
bleachers northwest of the assembly building, which could accommodate 1,000
guests.

Protocol representatives from NASA Headquarters, KSC, Marshall, and the Air
Force Eastern Test Range set up a joint protocol center at the Sheraton Cape
Colony Inn in Cocoa Beach, five days before liftoff. With the usual foresight,
KSC had a contingency plan that did not have to be used on Apollo 4. In case of
postponement or delay of a launch, the guests automatically had a valid
invitation for the rescheduled time. In the meantime, the Protocol Office would
provide further tours of the Kennedy Space Center until launch. NASA and
contractor employees at KSC could view the Apollo 4 mission from a convenient
area near their place of duty. Their dependents watched from Avenue E in the
industrial area, south of the Apollo training facility. The Security Office
provided badges, car passes, and instructions five days before the launch. Some
contractors and range organizations chartered buses to bring dependents to the
viewing site. Throughout all viewing areas, KSC provided emergency first aid and
ambulance service. Security handled parking of vehicles and controlled traffic
with an ease that was to grow with each launch.36